Bathing shoe or slipper



May 20, 1924. 1,494.452

c. R. WALDRON ET AL 'm'rums SHOE on 5mm Filed Sent. 29. 1922 CH ARLES R. WALDROI STEPHEN q.'s'rEvENso VENTORS ms ATroRNEY's.

Patented May 29, 192.4.

untrue ST TES CHARLES R. WALDRON' Ann STEPHEN o. s'rnvnnson, or ELYRImoHIo.

' BATHING SHOE on sLIPrER.

Application filed September 29, 1922. Serial No. 591,225.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES R. VAL; DRON and STEPHEN G. S'rnvnNsoN, citizens of the United States, and residents of Elyria, in the county of Lorain and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bathing Shoes or Slippers, of which the following is a specification. v

This invention relates to bathing shoes, or slippers, and especially to such devices having an enlarged toe to assist the wearer when swimming.

An object of this invention is to construct a shoe or slipper, with an enlarged flat toe which is light and retains its shape when used for swimming.

Another object resides in providing a light fabric swimming shoe with an enlarged toe which is held in shape by a stiff reinforcing element extending around the edge thereof.

Another object of my invention embodies the details of construction, and the manner in which the shoe is assembled.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a top plan View of the shoe having a portion of the toe cut away and in section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of our shoe.

Referring to the drawings, the shoe or slipper is made up of an enlarged toe portion and a heel portion, both of which are constructed preferably of a water-proof light fabric material, such as canvas.

The toe is wide and of sufficient length to present a flat surface of considerably more area, than the area of the wearers foot upon which it is secured, and in this manner aids the wearer when swimming.

The toe of the shoe, or slipper, is formed of a canvas sole 10 and a vamp 11, which are superimposed and of substantially the same configuration. The edges of the sole and vamp can be sewed together, and as shown. the vamp is of sufficient size to allow its edges to be bent over and sewed to the edge of the sole at 12. When connecting the two part-s of the toe in this manner, we thereby provide a hollow enclosure 13 within the two members and around the periphery thereof, to receive a stiff frame 14, preferably wire, which serves to reinforce the toe and retain it in shape under all conditions. The vamp and sole are also sewed together at 15 to provide a snug inclosure for the toes of the wearer, andalso, to reinforce the inner area ofthe toe of the shoe.

A heel, or upper, 15 havingan open top andbottom extendsforwardly and is sewed to the vamp at 16."The usual eyelets 17 and lace 18 are provided in the' forward extension to secure the shoe to the wearers foot.

Tabs 19 are sewed on each side of the heel, or upper, and the ends 20 of the wire frame 14 projecting rearwardly from the toe extend upward between the tabs and the heel. This arrangement retains the toe in a horizontal fiat position.

When the lace is loosened the wearer puts the shoe on in the usual manner, with his toes between the vamp and the sole and within the space within the stitching 15; his heel extends through the open bottom of the heel which is secured around the ankle by the lace 18.

The mode of operation and advantages incident to the particular form and con-.

struction of the shoe are believed to be obvious, and to render further description unnecessary.

Various modifications of our invention may be devised by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of our claims, and we therefore do not limit our invention to the exact construction disclosed.

What we claim is 1. A swimming shoe comprising an enlarged toe formed of a sole and a vamp secured together, and a wire frame secured adjacent the periphery of said toe between the sole and the vamp thereof.

2. A swimming shoe comprising an enlarged toe, an upper secured to said toe, and

a wire frame secured adjacent the periphery of and to said toe, the ends of said frame extending rearwardly and upwardly from said toe and having their ends connected to the sides of said upper.

3. A swimming shoe comprising an enlarged toe formed of a sole and a vamp sewed together, an upper adapted to be secured to a users ankle, a wire frame for said toe, the ends of said wire frame extending rearwardly from said toe to said upper. and means to secure the ends of said wire frame to said upper.

4.. A swimming shoe comprising an enlarged fabric sole, a wire reinforcing frame periphery of said vamp, said frame being adapted to maintain said fabric vamp stretched interiorly thereof, and means for 1sfecuring said vamp upon the top of a users oot.

7. A swimming shoe comprising an enlarged fabric vamp, a wire frame attached to the peripheral portion of said vamp, a sole secured to said vamp providing an intermediate space for the insertion of a portion of a users foot, and means for securing said shoe to a users foot when inserted 25 partially within the space intermediate said 'sole and said vamp.

In testimony whereof, we hereunto afiix our signatures.

CHARLES R. WALDRON. STEPHEN Gr. STEVENSON. 

